The Lost Daughter
by CarolynWhiteflower
Summary: She decides it is time to see with her own eyes. Travelling in time is not new to her, nor are the stories of Daleks, nor Cybermen. The Doctor she meets, however, is not the Doctor she secretly hoped she'd meet; but she's not all-together disappointed... AN: If you like this fic, please feel free to look at my original fiction story "Domino" over at FictionPress. Mercy!
1. Chapters 1&2

**The Lost Daughter**

She decides it is time to see with her own eyes what the Doctor does. Travelling in time, is not new to her, nor is the stories of Daleks, nor the encounters with Cybermen. The Doctor she meets, however, is not the Doctor she secretly hoped she'd meet; time works that way, and she is all-together not that disappointed.

_**Chapter 1**_

We see the world around us, and see it as it is. No matter how hard we try, we cannot see what was or what could be. But there is someone who can: in this world, and another. This man had saved billions of humans

and aliens throughout the universe. As in a freak accident, he was cloned, but altered. The result: a Time lord with one heart. Human. He was left in a parallel world to ours; left to be able to love the woman he

loved. But the 'proper' Time Lord went on and changed. And years passed in both worlds, which both now had a man with the memory of a Time Lord. The 'other' Time Lord lived a full life as we know it: He worked,

he loved, he married his love, and they had one child. This child is what begins this story; the journey of a girl to find her Doctor.

"Are you sure, love?" Rose stroked her daughter's brown mane. "It might be devastating to the barrier-"

"It won't, mom. Dad and I did extensive research, remember? Even granddad helped find the proper location. For the last time: I'll. Be. Fine."

"I'm your mother; I should be allowed to worry. Especially knowing your dad…"

Lily heaved her bag and straightened her jacket. She looked into the mirror and saw her mother sitting restlessly on the bed. "Oh, why did I fall in love with a Time Lord?"

Lily grinned. "Wrong question; Why did you fall in love with _this_ Time Lord?" Both laughed heartily.

"Are we ready?" Doctor John Smith popped his head round the door. "We should get going, you lot."

"Alright - geesh - hold on."

"Watch it, young lady." He gave his daughter a stern look. "I'll be strict with you as long you're still here."

"Fine, then. Hmpf. Er- Mom's not coming with."

"Thought so. It'll only take a little while, love."

"Yeah, who knows, maybe I'll be back in ten seconds. Who can tell?" She eyed her dad and exchanged smiles. Some fleeting good-byes and she followed John out of the house and into the night. After a few tense moments, she looked up from the pavement and spoke.

"Dad?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Are you jealous?"

"I think I can be a jealous man, yes."

"Not that, dad. You know what I mean."

"No."

"Just, 'no'? No explanation?"

"No, I'm not jealous because you want to meet him. No, I'm not jealous of your need for more out of life. After all, I'm the man that raised you. If anything, I fed your hunger for adventure and curiosities. I'm not jealous, I'm proud. We all are."

"Not just because I have degrees in Medicine, Physics and Chemistry?"

"Not just because of that, no."

"Okay! Are we there yet?"

"Not quite. Just a little longer."

John held out an elbow and she took it, walking up the street arm-in-arm. A few minutes later, they arrived at an abandoned factory parking lot. "Just in time. I'll let you through when you're ready."

She hugged her father intensely and planted a kiss on his cheek. "See you soon, dad." And she marched off, resolutely, to the parking space marked '10'. John held out his phone and pushed a side button. To het left, the air turned a slighter shade of opaque, and a gentle breeze lifted her hair.

"Remember", John yelled to her, "that when you return, plan for a longer stay!"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Yeah, bla-bla. I'll promise not to make giant rips in the universe and cause both worlds to collide", she said in her dullest voice.

"Good girl. Now, off you go. Oh! Don't forget to have fun!" Lily looked at his small face and those sparkling brown eyes that she had inherited, and stepped through the veiled barrier into nothingness.

_**Chapter 2**_

An empty TARDIS, save for a man in a brown suit and bowtie spinning around in his chair, staring up at the ceiling of the gigantic interior. He was humming to himself, it sounded almost mockingly. Contemplating

how the sun would have swallowed that star if he hadn't been there, he smiled – almost beamed – and landed his precious TARDIS to pay a visit to his closest friends. For whom, he too was guilt-ridden, obviously. A

soft thud and the TARDIS had arrived. Suddenly, an alarm went off inside and the Doctor took hold of one of the many screens. It focused on a suburban street with a play yard surrounded by houses. There was a

young woman sitting on a bench with a bag propped beside her, and she was beaming right at the TARDIS with the brightest of smiles. The Doctor expected her to get up and run towards it, but he didn't know why.

He had never seen her before in his life. He pushed a few buttons and turned a few dials to inspect her more closely. The result shocked him to the core. It can't be. But the tests did not lie. Why did they let her go?

Behind the girl on the bench, a door opened and a red-haired woman came walking out. What looked like her husband, kept lingering on the doorstep. As the red woman passed, the girl stood up, her bag still resting on the bench. The Doctor walked toward the door and opened it, to greet Amy.

"Good to see you!"

"And you, Doctor! How long has it been for you?"

"I'd say twenty years? Give or take."

He glanced nervously at the brown-haired girl still looking at them. Rory, who was watching from the door, seemed to notice too. "Come inside, I'll put the kettle on. Or open a bottle, whatever you want," nodding slightly toward the girl who had her back still turned to him.

"It's been six months for us, Doctor," Amy went on as she steered him towards the house.

When they passed the girl, the Doctor looked her straight in the eye. "Amy," still looking straight at the brunette, "you don't mind me bringing my new companion, do you?"

Amy looked up in surprise and the girl with the bag for the first time.

"Er - no. Of course not. Please, follow us inside. We'll get you two all warmed up."

The girl took her bag and followed the pair quietly. Once they got inside, the girl closed the front door behind her and put her bag into the corner beside the door. She heard glasses chinking from the living room as she walked into the house.

"So, Doctor. Still a need for companions then, eh?"

"Well, you know how lonely it can be in the TARDIS."

"Well," Amy turned to the girl as she entered the room, "what's your story? What's your name? Where are you from?"

"Lily. Lily Smith, from London", the girl replied as she accepted a glass of white wine from Rory with a polite nod.

"Lily Smith, eh? I'm Amy and this is strapping bloke is my husband, Rory Williams." Rory gave an awkward wave of the hand to greet and nearly knocked over a glass in the process. Lily responded with an equally awkward wave and took a seat opposite him.

"So how long have you been travelling together?"

Lily kept swirling her glass, avoiding eye-contact with the Doctor. "We met not too long ago."

"It's great to meet another of the Doctor's companions. I don't believe I've ever met any of the others before. How about that! You're the first I meet!"

"Have you two travelled with the Doctor much?" Lily was rather excited to meet other companions too. And they didn't seem spoiled at all; could het dad be wrong about the Doctor?

"Oh, yes!" Amy laughed out loud, then put her glass on the table. "In fact, it was our honeymoon."

"Your… Honeymoon?" Lily put her glass down too. This would definitely be good. The Doctor remained silent and still, but looked at Lily fixedly. It wasn't until Rory spoke, that he broke his trance.

"If you ladies don't mind, I think I'll better take the Doctor out for a while so you two can gossip on end about wibbley-wobbley time travel." Rory took the bottle as they left.

Lily listened intently to Amy's stories of their journey as they fought not only Daleks, but fish-like vampire aliens, psychic prisons, and the infamous Stone Angels. All the while, Lily glanced outside through the window into the back garden and saw Rory talking animatedly with the Doctor. Their expressions weren't as care-free as Amy's was, and Lily's suspicions were assured when she caught Rory pointing towards the living-room.

Finally, the men came back. The Doctor smiled at Lily. "Come on. We best get going." Lily looked up in amazement, but stood up nonetheless.

"But you only just got here."

"Don't worry, we'll be back soon enough."

"You know, you need to go and see your wife from time to time."

Lily had a wild expression on her face, which Amy obviously misunderstood for disappointment. Lily continued to fetch her things from the hall and after several packed slices of marble cake and fleeting good-byes (a strangely firm handshake from Rory) and she was off with the Doctor.

Once inside the TARDIS, lily threw her bag into a corner and raced up and down the interior. He got an upgrade! Magnificent! She was actually out of breath by the time she returned and the Doctor was just finished preparing for departure. He pulled a lever and a slight tug under her feet told her they were off.

The Doctor sat down in a chair and sized her up.

"So… Lily Smith, eh?"

"Ye-"

"Why are you here?"

"You took me."

"I mean, why did you come here?"

"I wanted to."

"I'm not him, you know."

"I know." She sunk in a chair nearby and sighed heavily. "I know," she concluded.

"How long had you been waiting outside?"

"Five minutes, I guess. We're really accurate nowadays."

"And you were really trying to get to me?"

"Only you." The Doctor grinned a little at this. So did she.

"All right, then. Lily, is it? Nice name: Simple, enchanting name. Now, did they have any other inspiration or did he run out of any?"

Lily laughed. "You'll be pleased to know that they thwarted the idea that I should be named Jackie." Both laughed loud. "Can you imagine the look on her face when she heard they'd named me Lily instead?"

"Did you have a good life? With them?" The Doctor sounded rather more serious than before. He actually got up and started o fidget with the TARDIS' mainframe, as if he was sorry for asking such a personal question.

"I did." The fidgeting stopped. "We all went looking for adventure. The Cybermen are still there, though. Uncle Mickey took good care of them." The fidgeting started again. "peter managed to sort of hypnotise them and he keeps one as a servant in the house."

"He should be careful."

"That's what dad said-" They both stopped, and a long pause followed.

"You needn't worry," she finally said. "Look at me." She said the latter a bit too forceful.

He turned around and looked at her. Their eyes met and seemed to latch onto each other for as long as they possibly could, until Lily blinked.

"So," she said in her most airy voice, "am I welcome to join you, or do you want me out of your hair?"

The Doctor smiled and answered: "Lily Smith, you may well be my perfect companion. Welcome aboard the TARDIS."


	2. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

"Amy, don't you think that was a bit odd?"

"What was?"

"That- Lily girl."

"What about her?"

"Her and the Doctor. I don't know how-"

"The Doctor needs a companion, Rory. You know him."

"Yeah, but it all seemed a little different this time."

"Rory, what did he tell you?"

"Nothing. Just that… well…"

"Rory, what?"

"He said she's from a different London in our time."

"Yeah, so what? It's his thing."

"But don't you know what that means?" Amy took another sip, but remained quiet, rather challenging her husband to say what was on his mind. "It means," he blundered impatiently, "that she is not allowed to be here."

"Allowed?" said Amy with raised eyebrows.

"She's from parallel universe, Amy! Who knows what she does, knows, brings, or… something."

"Why would he rip a hole in the universe to travel and find a companion?" Amy pondered. "Do you think he went to see Rose?"

"He actually said that Lily found him, and he found her. It's all weird, Amy, don't you see?"

"Well, what do you suggest? Think we should warn the Doctor about this strange woman from another universe, but we cannot be sure of what she is planning on doing? Great, Rory."

"He actually sounded amused. As if- As if he…"

"Yes?"

"As if he was impressed or proud of what she did."

"Rory, not even the Doctor would agree with ripping holes in the universe. You know how upset he got when we tried to talk about Rose and how she got stuck there. He would never approve of weakening the bonds of time at the risk of two worlds colliding."

"But then, why would he take her?"

"Maybe she has something important. If she can cross universes, she must not exist in our; she'll create a paradox if she does exist here. But there weren't and weird things while they were here."

"Maybe _she_ is important."

"At any rate, good job on her if she can cross parallel worlds."

"Did anyone say 'parallel worlds'?"

A coat flew through the room onto a chair in the corner by the window.

"Hi, dear."

"Hello, mother and father." River sank into a chair and took a sip from Amy's glass. "Hmm," she nodded approvingly. "So what was the occasion?"

"Your husband came to visit," Rory teased.

"And he didn't even bother to stay for a conjugal visit? Tut, tut."

"Not sure he needs them now."

"Why would that be?"

"The Doctor's got a new companion," Amy explained. "And she's very nice."

Rory snorted. "Nice? She's well fit, with those wide brown eyes and golden brown wavy hair. Sexy that is." Both women looked at him reprovingly. "What? Can't help it; haven't exactly got my eyes hidden in my pocket, do I?"

"Apart from the fact that daddy dear is smitten, what's so special about her?"

"What makes you think she's special?"

"I heard you two bicker from the hallway."

"But that doesn't- " river gave Amy a look. "All right, dear, you and your hunches. You ought to stop that from time to time. I'm still your mother."

"Sorry, mommy." They all smiled. "So, what's the story?"

"She's crossed from a parallel world, the Doctor seems to be fine with it and now she's travelling with him."

River looked as if she'd choke as Amy said all this rather casually in one breath. "She's _what_?"

"She's travelling with the Doctor."

"No, hang on. She's from a parallel world? Did he go there?"

"No, apparently she managed to cross."

"How? Why?"

"Dunno. Honestly, the Doctor doesn't seem bothered at all."

"But she ripped a hole in the universe! How can he accept that?"

Amy and Rory shrugged. "I definitely thought it was odd," Rory began. "The way he went on about her, but still brushing over the fact that this girl had caused a rip in the univ-"

"You're serious when saying he knew! I thought he'd never- What has he done?" River put her foot down on the floor and brushed her hair behind her ear.

Amy and Rory looked at each other as if they were embarrassed for their supposed ignorance.

Amy shifted uncomfortable in her seat as she looked out into the street and focused on the spot by the oak tree where the TARDIS stood just a few hours before. Her Doctor. He had been strange and unclear of his motives on many occasions, but she always trusted him. Ever since that crack in her wall, that crack of time that swallowed anything and anyone whole. All the adventures ever since. Marvellous. She couldn't help but think if Lily was now filling in for her and Rory. She wouldn't go back, but longed for that thrill when left alone with her thoughts.

"It's not something he would voluntarily cooperate with." River got up abruptly. "I need to go back."

"Please, stay a little longer," Amy nearly pleaded.

"No, I need to think. And then, I need to go on a mission tomorrow morning. Need the sleep," she added absentmindedly.

"Where to?" Rory got up too. "Not the 1950's again?"

"The Byzantium. Again."

"Be careful," Amy piped up. The Byzantium was the place that bore the gravest memories. It was also one of her earliest adventures with the Doctor.

"It'll be all right. Most of the place was cleared the last time you were there. There where sightings of Cybermen. Probably made up, but we'll see when we get there." River got her coat and went towards the door.

"See you!" Amy waved from her seat and Rory showed her off.

"I think she was more shocked than us. Guess it really is serious."

"I wish she'd let it go. I mean, it's the Doctor, he does crazy things. He never tell any of use anything."

"Still, River seemed upset."

"She shouldn't be."

Rory gave his wife a confused look as he walked towards the kitchen. He leaned against the bar and tilted his head backward, looking at the ceiling. Amy stood up and walked over to him. Resting her head on her hand, she added: "She'll be seeing him in the morning at the Byzantium."


	3. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4**_

"Here we go, off into space and time." The Doctor leapt into a chair and spun around.

"I know you don't like to do is, but I'm gonna ask anyway."

He laughed sheepishly at her. "What is it that is so bold?"

"Could I have a try with the TARDIS?" She saw his fixed stare. "Er, please? Pretty please?"

"Well, I let Donna have a go, you can't be any worse."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Lily set off and darted around the TARDIS. The DOCTOR cringed as he watched her. "Oy! I see that!"

"Where are you taking us? Do you have any idea?"

Lily laughed. "Haven't the foggiest." Again a groan. "Never got to ask that question much yourself, eh mister control freak?"

"Who- Where are you taking us?" He did his best to smile.

"Exactly where you need to be."

"How would you manage that?" His eyes widened in surprise as he saw how calm his TARDIS was while Lily was in control. He was vaguely reminded of River, but this girl was much different. Lily hit a big blue-like button and the loud whooshing of the TARDIS stopped. The smile on her face was worth a million dollars. Or Pounds, he should say.

He took one of the monitors and dialled a few numbers. A sandy, dark beach below a grey cliff came into view. Now his reminiscing of River did not seem much of a coincidence. He had been here before. It wasn't exactly the same; the Byzantium was now less vast and greener. There were flowers on the ship now, or at least colour that made it look like flowers. With humans, you can't be sure. They're funny little beings, humans. Then he looked at Lily. She looked human enough. She was emotional, so she would be completely human. At least…

"What's the matter, Doctor? Did I do it wrong? Should we go?"

He looked at her again. She did remind him of Rose a little, but there was something else: she was completely her own. He now thought that this might be the reason she came so far.  
>"No, it's fine. It's perfect." He headed for the doors of the TARDIS and stepped out into the salty air. Lily followed him closely, her backpack on her back, ready for travel. "It's done a good job. River should be proud."<em> River? Is that a name?<em>

She looked around, frantic. "Blimey, this is another planet, not some Norwegian coast." A pang of guilt shot through the Doctor. Lily seemed to realise what she had said, for she added, "I'm sorry."

The Doctor walked towards the cliffs looming overhead. "All right, then. Let's go", and Lily hurried after him.

"You've been here before, haven't you?" He looked at her, puzzled. "You seem to know exactly where you need to go. You're not showing any trace of wandering about." He remained quiet, so Lily fell silent in disappointment. The silence was charged with the awkwardness she so dreaded. They walked right up to the cliff and stared up at the grassy mound on top of it.

"Last time, I saw the weeping angels here," he finally said. The Doctor casted Lily a glance, and saw her looking up at the Byzantium with amazement.

"Oh, they creep me out," she said. "Are they up there?"

"No need to worry." Lily sighed with relief. "There's much worse up there now."

"Great."

"Doctor!" a voice cried from above. A lone figure stood waving at them.

"It's time to begin our first adventure together, Lily Smith."

With some help from his friend on the ship, they reached the top of the cliffs and were led into the Byzantium. In what looked like an atrium, a small group of people were standing in a circle, surrounding a pillar of light, and one woman was facing them, smiling at the Doctor. Her smile faltered slightly when she set eyes on Lily, and Lily wondered why; they hadn't even met yet.

"My sweet!" The woman embraced the Doctor. _My Sweet? Why would she-? _

The Doctor disregarded her comment, but did smile at her before asking "why did you need me, River?" _A-ha! So it was a name!_ The Doctor and River kept talking for a while, until Lily was sucked back into their conversation upon hearing River raise her voice.

"Why would you just let her rip a hole in the universe, and then adopt her as your companion; she committed a crime against time!" Lily definitely wanted to see this. The other people in the atrium were backing out. "This girl- she ripped a hole, for crying out loud, in the universe!" Now Lily felt insulted. The Doctor did nothing but look defiantly onto River's face. River stopped the verbal attack and stayed quiet.

Unable to retain her hurt feelings, Lily blurted "Who are you?" not caring for her rudeness, as this woman did nothing to justify her character.

"Doctor River Song. You are Lily Smith."

"I am-"

"I know who you are."

"I don't think you do."

River chose to ignore Lily. "Tell me, my sweet, how could you?" River was definitely pleading now.

"Hey! You've got to get your facts straight before you go and insult people."

River raised her posture and turned to Lily. "A bit hypocritical, don't you think?"

"Well, my sweet, I don't care who or what you are, but you have no right going off at him like that. And you don't even know who I am!"

"You jeopardised our existence!"

"No, I haven't!" Lily shrieked back.

"She hasn't." The Doctor stood next both women, his face lit up with anger as he looked at River with fiery eyes.

"How could she not? She crossed from a parallel universe!"

"River, calm down. Listen!" He took her firmly by the shoulders. "She's from a parallel world which runs ahead of our world. Her technology- "he glanced sideways at Lily – "her technology allowed her to safely pass. No rips conjured, no canons, just a temporary veil where time and space are naturally weak. Temporarily weak, before sealing off."

River panted slightly and looked at Lily, who had her vision locked on the Doctor. "How did you know? I didn't tell you that yet."

"The TARDIS."

A look of dawning comprehension appeared on Lily's face. "She let me fly her and she didn't buck us off."

"That means you are meant to be on the TARDIS."

Tears welled up in Lily's eyes, but she fought them back, unwilling to become overemotional with him. She began to see the impact of what she has done, and didn't feel guilt, but did feel discontent.

"But then: Who are you?" asked River, still gaping at Lily who gave the Doctor a pleading look.

"We'll get to that. And we'll discuss River when we're back in the TARDIS, Lily." Both women nodded obediently. "All you need to know now, is that you both are important and essential people at this very moment." River gave lily a rather sceptical look, but nodded in accordance.

Lily heaved her backpack further up and followed the Doctor into the heart of the Byzantium, feeling River's reproving eyes looking back at her ever so often.


	4. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Lily was past her anger with River, and was now thoroughly intrigued by this woman. How come she was so protective of the Doctor? And why did she seem so genuinely jealous?

"We're here," Rivers voice rang sternly along the corridor.

"Looks like it's had an upgrade." Lily eyed the Doctor curiously, because she had no idea what he meant by that. River only smirked at Lily's blank face, when the Doctor added "Oy… I told you: Play nice until I can explain. You're both too important."

River stepped down and crossed her arms. "All right, sweety." She flashed a card and they gained access to another long, artificially lit, corridor. Lily had to blink against the light as it hurt her eyes.

"We had to install the best lighting, since those Weeping Angels might still be around somewhere. They were supposed to be swallowed up by Time, but the whole place feels haunted."

"But," Lily began, "why put in artificial light? They'd turn it off eventually, absorbing it's kinetic energy. Why not use natural light?" Apparently this struck River by surprise.

"It's buried," she replied.

"Yes, but you can dig it up. Much healthier, I assure you." River didn't answer this, and the Doctor swayed on the balls of his feet, grinning slightly.

"She's good," was all he managed to mumble at the ceiling. "River, lead the way!" And he set off with River trailing behind closely.

They came to another door from which some sweet smell greeted their nostrils, fresh and full of life. It was too good to be true.

"An underground forest? Really?"

River stared at Lily once again. "How did you know?"

"Well the whole ship smells like a buffoon's backside, and a fresh draught just went past."

"I don't know who you are, but you're growing on me. You're not a lost Time Lord, are you?"

Lily's turn to grin. "No. Not Time Lord," and she exchanged winks with the Doctor, who had whipped out his trusty sonic screwdriver and was examining the other side of the door. "Green?" Lily exclaimed.

"Shh… Spoilers," the Doctor mocked as he analysed the screwdriver. "Okay, now what are they doing here?" He paced in front of the door. "River, are the men inside?"

"And women, yes. Are you ready to go in now?" She opened the door and the Doctor followed.

Lily swayed, hovering just beyond the threshold. "And what exactly are we going to meet there?"

"You'll see!" River called over her shoulder as her torch illuminated the trees in front.

"Come on," the Doctor said gently. "You're in for a treat. I'm sure you'll remember them." Now increasingly intrigued, Lily could only follow the strange woman and the quirky Doctor.

After a minute or so they met the others in a clearing. They all stood in a ring, but this time they had their faces look into the forest around them, arms at the ready.

"You keep your men well-trained," Lily added to River.

"They're not my men, but thank you," was River's apparent surprised response. _Yes, at least one of us can be dignified._

"See? I told you to play nice," the Doctor said from near a rose bush.

"Out west, here, sir," a man on their right cried, waving one arm. "They're at a safe distance, but I don't think it'll be safe much longer."

"River, stay here, mind the soldiers and go out east. But slowly. Use your device to sonic me. Lily, you're with me."

River, who seemed fine with the Doctor's orders, was now not so fine with them any more. "It's dangerous. You can't take her".

"Oh, yes I can. Lily here knows all about these Cybermen."

"CYBERMEN? HERE? NOW?" She knew about them all right, but they still were unpredictable and frightening.

"Why can't they be here?" River raised her voice again.

"Because they're supposed to be in another universe. My universe!"

"So you crossed from a parallel universe and they followed you? I knew it! See how careless that was?"

"River! Calm down. Lily did ot cause them to be here. They are strays, now settling down after crossing universes with borrowed technologies."

Comprehension dawned on Lily's face. "They are older. From another time, like the Daleks. They crossed with the Daleks when-"

"Yes," he cut across her. That's right. Somehow they managed." There was an awkward silence in which River too, seemed to fill certain blanks in her mind. But, not yet, the most important one.

"So, Lily Smith, are you ready to fight some Cybermen?"

"I was literally born ready to fight Cybermen," she winked.

"Is that so? What are you going to do now? Extract a huge gun from your backpack?"

Lily turned around. "If only you knew," she said tauntingly, now sporting a huge metallic grey weapon in her hands.

The doctor whistled. "Dalek technology?"

"Yep. Works like a charm against Cybermen. You know: 'Exteeeernimate' and all that."

"Can I hold it?"

"Sure-"

"No!" They turned their heads towards River. "No," she said again, more stern. "You can't hold a weapon from some parallel universe."

"Well, I-" But River raised her eyebrows warningly.

"I'm sure he'll explain later, but he has done much more than just _hold_ something from another universe." Lily turned her back on River. "Now, what do we do?"

"That gun might come in handy. River, connect your device to my sonic screwdriver. Remember the codes?"

"Certainly. I know exactly which buttons to push to get you coming to me."

"Now that spikes my interest. How did you say you met?"

"Later, Lily. Now, we get a move on. On to the east. Wands at the ready, people. Look sharp." Both women shared a look. "What? No good?" And as they shook their heads he let out a disappointed groan.

Lily walked after him into the darkness, her gun at the ready.

"You know, they used to make those guns much bigger."

"I know, da- I helped devise to make them smaller. Now they fit in my backpack."

"They? How many are you carrying?"

"Three, but don't tell mummy."

The doctor giggled reluctantly. Lily could sense his pain whenever she mentioned rose, directly or indirectly. She didn't dare to call John, Dad, out of fear; she just didn't know how much this Doctor could take. He looked younger, more adventurous, and definitely more quirky with that bow tie. She thought her Dad looked much cooler with his suit and All Stars. Kept him young. Yet this might not be entirely fair as he already seemed to age slower than those around him: he looked the age same age as Rose does now. No, this doctor was just as brilliant, more charming and less fierce than her Doctor.

"How long are you and Dr Song an item?"

"Wouldn't know, honestly."

"Gosh, you're such a bloke, aren't you?"

"And you really are your mother's daughter, aren't you?"

They continued clambering over tree roots and dodging branches.


	5. Chapter 6

**_AN: Thank you to everyone who keeps reading this story. It's been coming for quite some time, and I hope you will enjoy every single bit of it. I hope I will not disappoint. Feel free to comment/review on this story or individual chapters; feedback is the best thing for an author, since we do write for the readers, however much we enjoy creating the stories. Also, feel free to subscribe or favourite this story. Every bit of support helps loads. Thank you and enjoy_!**

* * *

><p>Lily drew level with him, gun still at the ready. "We're close."<p>

"I'll say it again: Lily Smith, you are astonishing."

"Not so bad yourself. I mean, you did sort of teach me everything I know. Can you blame me for coming to meet you?" She said this very casually and meant it to be so.

She had already taken about ten steps, when she noticed the Doctor to have fallen behind. As she made to look at where he stood, his shaking voice said uncertainly:

"I don't. I hope you can forgive me for not visiting you. Or Rose." He was walking again.

Even though this was a different man, Lily glimpsed a piece of the Doctor she knew.

He walked forward and looked deep into Lily's eyes as he said "I know I am not technically you father, but I am so proud of you and your mother."

She took a step back. "Doctor, she never blamed you for anything. She truly is happy."

"I can imagine, with a brilliant daughter like you."

"Are you being sentimental? I really don't need you being sentimental..."

"It's just all a blur, you know. This all happened to another person. It's as if the memories aren't my own."

"Doctor-"

"It's okay. You can stay with me. I'd love to have you in the TARDIS with me. Been lonely for quite some time now."

"Doctor-"

"I think Rose's room is still there somewhere. You can redecorate ofcourse."

"Doctor-"

"You don't strike me as a 'pink' kind of girl, so you might need some paint."

"Doctor?"

"Yes, what is it?"

"We're surrounded."

"Well, the trees really are dense, but we can still-"

"Look, you silly man!"

He wheeled around. Just past the trees he saw gleaming silver-metallic faces all around them. Still as stone, watching their every move.

"Are you ready?"

"You really have to ask? I'm the one with a gun in my hand."

The Doctor crouched low, as if fixing his shoelace. Lily stood rooted at the spot, calculating to take aim. Then, a face moved and with with the quickest of reflexes, Lily began to fire. The Doctor remained on the ground, aiming his screwdriver at the Cybermen Lily couldn't reach, successfully lowering their shields and even disarming some. Jets of greenish light flow from the gun, blasting the Cybermen into a million pieces. Lily kept firing, long after the Doctor had stopped. She put the gun back into her bag and took out a new one. "Just to be safe." And fired a single shot at a bush nearby. A loud bang told them that was the last. For now.

"I must say, I'm impressed by your skills."

"Thanks. Micky taught me. One day was all it took. And again, not so bad yourself with your magic wand." She watched him tuck the sonic screwdriver back into his pocket. "Wait. Isn't that supposed to be blue?"

"Yes", the doctor answered proudly. "TARDIS rebooted, you see? New everything. Cool isn't it?"

"Pretty fancy. Blue is more my colour. Though."

"Funny. River was disappointed with blue."

Lily stopped again. "That's where I heard her name before. I remember"river Song and Cal in the library... But she-" Lily stared at him, a sad look dawning in her eyes. "Does she know? Have you told her?"

"I can't tell her. Timey-wimey." Lily glared. "I'm sorry, Lily, but that is how it works. All the time travelling, all the running, she knows that too."

"I know," Lily said in a low voice.

"For what it's worth," he said as he walked passed her, looking back, "I think she knows."

"It's not long now. I can see it in her eyes. Time is closing in on her. And we cannot help."

"But you and I both know that she will be in a safe place. Happy and content with the life she leads."

Lily nodded silently. "True", and she walked with him up the hill, following a faint light that might lead them to the Cybermen. A few muffled shouts behind them, told them River and her men were fighting too. They did not stop and head back to help them. They knew River would survive this battle unscathed. But how long could she keep it up?

Lily shook her head as if trying to rid her mind of this disturbing foreknowledge of the fate of the woman she now knew the face of.

The two of them kept stepping up the root-strewn slope. Just beyond that, they could see a bright, artificial light illuminating the trees as well as casting a shadow over them. It's ironic, really, Lily couldn't help thinking, to have to fight Cybermen on my first encounter with the Doctor. She remembered the tales of the living plastic in the London department store, and the story of her parent unusual pairing. All these stories were now in her head. The stories were not the only things Rose and John (as he was now called) left Lily. It was as if all the universe was already in her head., and the stories only opened the doors to let it out.

If she slept little she would be dizzy throughout the next couple of days, a throbbing ache just behind her temples. Her grandfather would rock her in his arms when she was little, but nowadays she had to rely on herself to give her the protection she needed.

The Doctor seemed to think along the same lines, for he began:"Have they figured if you have any Time-Lord DNA?"

lily merely shrugged. "Dunno. None of the premature scans revealed anything, though he has always suspected I would develop some traits. Too bad regeneration will be out of the question. Never been into contact with the TARDIS before this. No, I guess it's just the knowledge I inherited. Though, having the world and the majority of the time vortex inside your puny human brand is already tough enough." Lily put both hands and her gun in her pockets and swaggered on.

"I wouldn't be toos ure about your presumptions, dear." He look at the sonic screwdriver and placed it back in his breast-pocket for safe keeping.

Finally, they reached the top of the slope as it started to level. They crouched down on the ground, lily closing her hand around the gun in her pocket, looking anxiously at the doctor in the hopes he would know what to do next. Her fears were just, because the scene laid out beneath them was rather frightening.

Spread out over more than a dozen sites were metal establishment linked together by plastic tunnels. The eery white light came from the dome in the middle: It had spotlights all around it, causing all light to rebound and make the smaller domes sparkle.

"What's that?" Lily pointed towards a hole in the back of the settlement, as it was pitch black. But the Doctor merely smiled, eyes glinting. "Doctor, now what?"

"They've come to look for suitable donors."

"Ugh, please. I accidentally saw it happening to my teacher in third grade. My stomach still lurches at the thought."

"Rather disappointed to hear that, to tell you the truth."

"Oh, get to it. Why are you smiling so cheekily."

"They forgot. They forgot the promise to the other universe. The parallel universes they wish to splinter."

"You mean they are now taking time for themselves? Taking people from the future, as to not alter their own pasts?"

"Precisely."

This time Lily did not respond and simply smiled, then sprinted off towards the left, out of sight. The Doctor showed no sign of interest of where she had gone. He could guess where she had gone off to and why. Sure enough, about two minutes later, he saw a blueish light from the left. He crouched down low and crawled forward. A little later, he saw Lily do the same as she climbed out of the bushes. Together, they climbed down and tip-toed towards separate domes.

The Doctor soniced his way inside, waiting for lily to give him some sort of signal.

Meanwhile, Lily has broken the code and found a way inside a long white tunnel, not unlike the one River had led them through. She found a sliding door and hastily jumped though it, only to find herself face-to-face with five Cybermen.

"Oh, boy, this is going to be tough." She groped for her gun and aimed right at their heads. "Hiya, fellas. Been quite some time", and the door shut behind her.

The Doctor heared shots coming from the next dome, occasionally accompanied by muffled chants and screams. The hall he was in was completely deserted, and he couldn't help but hope those doors would open and Lily's smile would greet him. Well, her smile and her guns, preferably.

With a soft hiss the sliding doors in front of him opened and smoke obstructed his view. With one finger at the ready on his screwdriver to ward off whatever would come at him. He saw nothing past the smoke and lowered his guard a little to strain his other senses. Then he heared someone panting. He used the screwdriver to analyse what was in front of him.

"Excuse me, sir! You don't just point you screwdriver at a lady." Lily's sweet voice carried through the smoke, sounding a little out of breath. After a few short moments she clambered through the doors and smiled. "Glad my experience pays off."

"Hm." The doctor was busy scanning their environments.

"What is it?" lily looked around frantically. To her, 'Hm' did not sound good at all.

"Oh, nothing," he said in his most casual voice. Lily dreaded hearing what would come next. "I was just thinking of how we're going to get there."

He had been analysing multiple readings by now. "We are close."

Lily heaved a sigh, and slung her gun on her back. "Are you sure, Sherlock?"

She banged her fist against a wall. It was made of metal...

"How did you know that?"

"You would've known too, if you didn't close your eyes so much while sonicing them." The Doctor gave her a slightly reproachful look. "Anyway, they use these portals to zap in and out. And I'm telling you, they were bloody tough to take down."

Lily leaned against the wall behind her. Being in this universe cost her more energy than she expected. Just solve this Cyberman-thing and get back into sync on the TARDIS.

"You feel weak", the doctor understood; naturally. "You should get some rest.'

"Now's not the time to doze off."

"It's a dangerous and unstable thing you did to get here."

"I wouldn't have to, if you hadn't left us there!"

Fire burst in her eyes and she balled her fists. Is she hadn't looked so positively mild, one might sympathise. Lily saw the doctor struggling for a second or so until he, full of guilt and anger, roared back at her.

"You will never understand! You are only human! You will never in the space of time understand! You jeopardised so much to only see me. And that on a whimsical idea you cooked up!"

Lily hated being called inferior and now braced herself as she felt the anger boil up to her throat.

"Listen, Doctor," she said disdainfully, "You don't understand! You never understood, and twenty-odd years later, you still don't! What does that make you? What does it make you; turning you back on the love of your life, only because you're the last of your kind? Well, you didn't do anybody a favour by handing out seconds! You cheated us to do the one thing you ever knew: RUN!."

Her heart was racing, and she panted excessively. The anger was subsiding, but her cheeks were warm out of guilt. Without a word, the Doctor managed to get them a portal by sonicing the metal wall, and climbed through.

Lily fought back the tears and followed him resolutely. She did not leave her parents to be alone again. Besides, she thought, he would never admit, but she knew the Doctor always needed someone.


End file.
